Research
Hormonal
Intrahepatic triglyceride content is the most proximate correlate of insulin resistance, independent of subcutaneous fat mass or overall obesity.
Focus on reducing liver fat rather than just total body weight. This can be achieved through weight loss (even moderate, ~8% loss reduces liver fat by ~50%) and by choosing a lower-fat diet compared to a high-fat diet. Monitoring liver health is crucial for metabolic risk, regardless of BMI.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
This fat appears to be the most proximal correlate of insulin resistance... it is not the visible subcutaneous fat but rather that hidden in the liver that is the most proximal correlate of insulin resistance.
Why this rating
Based on a comprehensive review of human clinical studies, animal models, and population surveys (NHANES).
Source
Fat in the liver and insulin resistance
Hannele Yki‐Järvinen · Annals of Medicine · 2005
DOI 10.1080/07853890510037383
narrative_reviewCited 266×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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